Vermont School Boards Association Webinar April 30, 2012 The Effective School Board Chair

How the webinar works 2 We will control your computer screen You can follow and respond through computer We will use polls to get information from the group The presentation will be archived on VSBA web site There will be an online evaluation following the webinar You may be asked to raise your hand We will use the Chat Box for individual questions and answers During presentation and afterward Essential Work of School Boards available to order

Session Goals o Introduce the staff of VSBA o Present the VSBA Model for Effective School Board Chairs o Address Common Challenges of Board Chairs o Explain the services of VSBA

VSBA Staff 4 Kerri LambOperations Manager Steve DaleExecutive Director Nicole MaceAssociate Director for Legal Services Harry FrankAssociate Director for Board Development

POLL: GETTING TO KNOW PARTICIPANTS

Dual Themes in Vermont Governance District Board Supervisory Union Local Boards Superintendents Created Early 1800’s SUs Created 1915 Operated Schools Professional supervision ,500 to 288 Added roles Added administrators Centralization of Services Strong Local Ownership/ Strong Professional Supervision Oversight and Leadership EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS

The Role of the School Board Chair Promote the development of a strong board team that understands its role and performs its essential work. Establish a strong connection with the administration to build common vision and a strong sense of teamwork. Organize and conduct productive meetings. Promote lawful/ethical operations.

KEY ROLE OF THE CHAIR Promote the development of a strong board team that understands its role and performs its essential work.

The Role of the School Board Serve on behalf of the community to provide strong oversight of public education Ensure high quality education for all students Ensure the public gets good return on its investment Ensure that the system operates effectively and ethically

The Role of the Supervisory Union Board Oversee education for the region through the Supervisory Union, assuring mutual accountability with superintendent, and seeking greater student opportunity and operating efficiency.

The Essential Work of School Boards Create a vision for education Establish policy parameters Hire a superintendent Monitor progress and assure accountability Establish a budget and oversee finances Engage the community Other limited legal responsibilities Quasi-Judicial Role Contract Negotiations Do this all in an effective and ethical way.

Build a Team Build relationships with each member of the board Welcome new board members and ensure they receive an orientation Ensure all members understand they are an integral part of the board Be aware of board dynamics Establish ground rules for board meetings and decision- making Create committees to help the board do its essential work

POLL: ASSESSING TEAM EFFECTIVENESS

KEY ROLE OF THE CHAIR Establish a strong connection with the administration to build common vision and a strong sense of teamwork.

Creating a Healthy Partnership for Education Leadership Assure the Board is doing its job—vision, priorities, policy, resources, monitoring Board members assure that schools are well run—they don’t run them Expect and allow administrators to do their jobs Seek and encourage leadership Assure good communication Assure that challenges are addressed and that there is an accountable system.

Be Clear on Roles Supervisory Union— Board—Official Hiring Authority SU Chair and Executive Committee Superintendent--CEO “Mutual Accountability” District — Board—Oversight of Education Superintendent—Chief Executive Officer Principal—Operations of Schools Negotiate ongoing day-to-day connections and communications

Guidance, Support, Supervision Assure goal setting with Superintendent and that goals are being set for principals Regular performance review of Superintendent Informal communication channels Addressing issues as a district board Addressing issues formally through the SU

POLL: RELATING TO THE ADMINISTRATION

KEY ROLE OF THE CHAIR Organize and conduct productive meetings.

Manage Productive Meetings Build effective agendas Follow Robert’s Rules of Order Obey open meeting and public records laws Facilitate complex community conversations Strive for consensus

Build Effective Agendas Seek input from other board members and work with administration to develop a manageable agenda Align agendas with board goals Include a manageable number of issues Limit action to items that the board has had time to consider Ensure clarity so the public can be reasonably informed of the topics to be discussed

Become Familiar with Robert’s Rules

Obey Open Meeting and Public Records Laws 1 V.S.A. §312(a): All meetings of a public body are declared to be open at all times…No resolution, rule, regulation, appointment, or formal action shall be binding except as taken or made at such an open meeting. 1 V.S.A. §316(a): Any person may inspect or copy any public record of a public agency... 1 V.S.A. §317(b): Public record means any written or recorded information, regardless of physical form or characteristics, which is produced or acquired in the course of public agency business.

POLL: ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER: HOW COMFORTABLE ARE YOU??

No charges in class time deer killing Mike Donoghue Jan 27, 2012 ST. ALBANS -- No criminal charges will be filed against a St. Albans teacher or the student he allowed to go home, get a gun and kill a deer during school time, according to the Franklin County prosecutor. "That's good news," Steve Wunsch, a longtime teacher at the Northwest Technical Center in St. Albans, told the Burlington Free Press when informed Thursday that the investigation had been closed. Wunsch is serving a six-week unpaid suspension from teaching, officials said. The student, senior Ryan Newell, 17, of St. Albans, was suspended from school for a few days and wanted to put the incident behind him, his mother told the Burlington Free Press for a Jan. 9 news story...

Poll: Can the Board Go Into Closed Session to… Meet as a board with the staff of the VSBA to conduct a board self-evaluation. The VSBA representative will review the results of a survey sent to the board prior to the meeting. The discussion will be difficult, as there has been a fair amount of conflict on the board lately.

Poll: Can the Board Go Into Closed Session to… Meet with the superintendent to discuss a leave of absence request from a teacher.

Poll: Can the Board Go Into Closed Session to… Discuss with a public health official the results of a test done on the school’s drinking water. The test results show extremely high levels of toxic lead in the water.

Poll: Can the Board Go Into Closed Session to… Discuss a letter from the board’s lawyer giving her opinion as to the viability of a potential breach of contract suit brought against the school bus company.

Poll: Can the Board Go Into Closed Session to… Sign a contract with the school’s new principal. The identity of the new principal will be announced at a staff meeting later in the day.

Follow Executive Session Requirements Boards must first meet in public session and then vote to close the meeting by a motion that specifies the reason to do so. Permissible reasons for entering executive session are listed in 1 V.S.A. §313. Boards may invite their attorney, administrative staff, and persons who are subjects of the discussion or whose information is needed. No decision may be made in executive session. Ultimate action must be taken by motion and vote in open session. (1 V.S.A. §313(a)).

At the board’s meeting to discuss next year’s budget, a large number of parents and community members showed up eager to speak. The local newspaper had reported that the board would be considering cutting back the art and music programs in the elementary school in order to keep taxes down. The meeting started on time, and the chair asked for comments from the public. Several parents started off the comment period speaking for almost 10 minutes each about the value of arts and music. Other parents who supported the cuts started grumbling about not having enough time to share their opinion. The chair could feel the crowd getting angry and thought the best approach would be to end the public comment period before things got out of hand. After closing the public comment period – which made some community members who had not been heard so angry they stormed out of the meeting – the chair moved on to the next item on the agenda. Public Comment Case Study

Did the board chair manage the public comment period appropriately? What role can board policy play here? What can/should the chair do about the angry people who left the meeting?

Facilitate Community Conversations Board meetings are public meetings, but they are not a meeting of the public \ 16 V.S.A. §554(b): a reasonable opportunity to appear and express views on any matter considered by the board shall be given to any person in the school district 1 V.S.A. 312(h): public comment shall be subject to reasonable rules established by the chair

Facilitate Community Conversations The public can and should have a voice in board deliberations, but no person or group has the right to obstruct board deliberations. The chair needs to ensure the public feels welcome at meetings, while taking care that meetings stay focused on the agenda and remain productive. Boards should adopt a policy or practice that allows citizens an opportunity to speak within established time constraints before board action is taken.

Strive for Consensus Ensure differing viewpoints are heard and explored Encourage inquiry, not argument Look for points of similarity Allow for differences of opinion and recognize good points on each side. Urge people to focus on interests and not positions. Explore reasons for agreement. Seek to get alignment, if not full agreement.

KEY ROLE OF THE CHAIR Promote lawful and ethical operation of the Board.

Guidelines for Lawful and Ethical Operations No legal powers outside of the board. Maintain confidentiality of executive session. Board members assure that schools are well run, but don’t run them. Avoid conflict of interest or perception. Recognize validity of Board decisions, even if don’t agree with them!

Establish a Code of Ethics As a board member, I will: Act within the scope of my official role Uphold the highest ethical standards Respect my peers, my constituents, and confidentiality considerations

Conflict of Interest Case Study A community member has come to you expressing concern about a board member who works for the bus company with whom the district has a contract. This board member has served on the board for two years and this is the first time the potential conflict of interest has come up. The board member has never voted on a contract with the bus company that employs her but you know the contract is up for renewal this year.

Conflict of Interest Case Study Do you have an obligation to do something about this apparent conflict? What should the bus driver do? What should you say to the concerned community member?

VSBA—PRIMARY FUNCTIONS To serve as the collective voice for 280 boards and 1500 elected school board members. To support boards in successfully achieving their work.

KEY VSBA SERVICE AREAS Advocacy Board Development and Support Communications Legal and Policy Services Consultation Services

RESOURCES FOR BOARD MEMBERS 44 On-Line Information for Board Members o VSBA Website o Web Stream Videos DVD Lending Library VSBA Essential Work of School Boards Phone consultation/problem-solving Member-to-member support Vermont Education Law Book

CONTACT US 45 Kerri Steve Harry Nicole

Important Dates New Board Member and Board Chair Training April, May and June Details on VSBA website Regional Meetings September 2012 Time and Place to be Announced Annual Meeting October 25 & 26 at Lake Morey Resort in Fairlee

Evaluation